The Soulmatchers in LA
by sunglow
Summary: Sequel to The Soulmatchers. Cassie and Orion are now in LA, they find Angel and Cordelia missing and set out to help find them.
1. Trouble in LA

Title:The Soulmatchers in LA.

Author:Sunglow999

Pairing:Spike/Buffy

Rating:R (Just to be on the safe side)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy, except Cassie and Orion – they belong to me.

Spoilers:- AtS: The Price and parts of Deep Down.

BtVS: Hells Bells.

Timeline: Two months after the end of The Soulmatchers. Buffy and the gang have neutralised the threat from Warren,

Jonathon and Andrew. 

Chapter 1: Trouble in LA

The two shadows made their way noiselessly down the alley that led to the demon karaoke bar known as Caritas and stopped outside the darkened building.

"You sure this is the right place, sis?" The tall platinum haired shadow asked, his toe idly kicking the door.

"Positive. Cordelia gave me the address. Look." The dark haired shadow pointed to the blackened sign half hanging down over the door. "Caritas."

"Looks like they had some unhappy customers."

"We'd better get over to where Angel hangs out." Cassie dug a small white card out of her back pocket and squinted at it. "The Hyperian Hotel."

"Let's go then."

They took a cab across town and soon found themselves walking up the steps of the big hotel that now housed Angel Investigations.

"Anyone home?" Cassie called out as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Silence met her enquiry and she reached out with her senses. They immediately told her that there was no one else in the building apart from her and Orion.

"No-one's here, Orion."

"Do we wait?"

"Let's make ourselves comfortable." She pointed to the round sofa in the foyer and Orion sprawled bonelessly along one side while she settled herself cross-legged on the other. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift back two months to the day she first saw her soulmate.

He'd appeared in the doorway of Buffy's house, bringing weapons of destruction to help free Orion from the grip of a powerful warlock and she'd known exactly who he was. Her blood had tingled; all her senses magnified tenfold. When she'd imagined her soulmate he'd never been over six feet tall, green skinned with red eyes, horns and a hooked nose; or that he'd come from another dimension. She and Cordelia had talked about Lorne and Cordy had answered all the discreet questions unaware that she was being skilfully interrogated. She'd discovered that he was an empath demon who could read people and demons when they sang. He was also kind and peaceloving with a strange colourful dress sense; and after hearing about primitive, drab Pylea she could understand why.

She frowned slightly; if his club was closed for repairs, where was he? And where was everyone at AI?

Orion had been asleep for an hour when the doors of the hotel flew open and a teenage boy burst in, swiftly followed by Gunn and Fred. The boy stopped dead on seeing Cassie who had opened her eyes and was looking at him. He immediately identified her as being a vampire and a stake appeared in his hand as if by magic. As he sped towards her, ready to kill her, two things happened; a barrier sprang up between her and the boy, and Orion, instantly awake, moved to his sister's side, ready to protect her with his life.

"Connor! No! They're friends!" It was Fred who got the boys attention.

"Connor? This is Connor?" Cassie looked at him in surprise.

"It's a long story." Gunn came forward.

"They're vamps, how can they be friends?" Connor demanded.

"Another long story." Gunn replied. "Put the stake down, it won't do any good anyhow."

As Connor dropped the stake back into his pocket, Cassie dropped the barrier.

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"That's what we'd like to know." Fred sat down behind the reception counter. "Angel and Cordelia have been missing for over a month and Lorne's gone to Las Vegas."

"We've been chasing up leads for the last month but it's as if they've dropped off the face of the earth." Gunn said.

"Have you tried a location spell?"

It was only Orion who caught the slight tensing of Connors shoulders and all his senses went on high alert. As Cassie continued to question Gunn and Fred, Orion studied the boy. His body language screamed hostility and mistrust and Orion had the sneaky suspicion that he knew more than he was letting on.

"I'll be in my room." Connor didn't wait to be excused before bounding up the stairs and slamming the door of his room behind him.

Fred let out a shaky sigh and Gunn moved to comfort her, knowing how upset and tense she was.

"So, tell us what's happened in the last two months, and how baby Connor is now a teenager." Cassie invited.

The twins listened as Fred explained how an old enemy of Angels, Holtz, with the help of Wesley, had taken Connor and jumped into the hell dimension of Quortoth, only for Connor to reappear two weeks later a full grown teen. How Wesley had had his throat cut and how Angel had tried to smother him in the hospital; how the hotel had been infested with water draining manifestations; how Wesley had saved Fred and told them never to ask for his help again. She finished by telling them how Connor was distraught at the disappearance of his father and Cordelia and that he was driven to help them search for them.

"Have you tried Buffy and Spike?" Cassie asked.

"Why?" Gunn was mystified as to how they could help.

"Spike's one of Angels childer. Blood calls to blood; he should be able to pick up on where he might be." Orion said.

"What about you? Aren't you related to Spike?"

"Spike, yes, but through genetic bloodlines, not childer bloodlines."

"Fred, you want to make the call?" Gunn asked.

"In the meantime, I'm going to go see Wesley." Cassie stood up.

"Uh, Cassie, you ought to know, he's not exactly as he was the last time you saw him. He's changed; a lot." Gunn warned.

"Don't worry. Cassie has a way of talking to people who don't want to listen." Orion grinned as he watched Cassie leave.

"Do I want to know?"

"No."

***

It didn't take long for Cassie to find Wesley's apartment and she was soon knocking on his door. When he eventually answered she was shocked at the change in him. He was unshaven, his eyes bloodshot and his clothes were rumpled as if he'd slept in them.

"What do you want?" He demanded, his voice still husky from the knife wound.

"To come in?"

He stepped aside but she stayed where she was, waiting for the spoken invite.

"Come in." He eventually said, and she stepped inside. "Drink?" He asked, holding up the bottle of scotch he still had in his hand.

"No thanks, and I think you've had enough already."

"Oh, I don't think so. I've not had nearly enough." He took a swig straight from the bottle.

"This isn't going to help Angel."

"What makes you think I want to help Angel?"

"Oh, the fact that you've got someone locked up in that closet over there and that she knows where Angel is."

Wesley stared at her, the bottle slipping out of his hand to land on the floor.

"How..?"

"You forget, Wesley, I'm psychic. I know she's the one that slit your throat and that he's at the bottom of the ocean somewhere. The boy's involved as well, isn't he? Orion picked something up from him but he's well shielded; I'll have to search quite deep when I next see him." She sat down on the sofa. "Want to tell me about it?"

"You mean you don't know already? Haven't you already dug around in my mind?"

"No, Wesley, I respect you too much to do that. I don't respect murderous little bitches though." She looked over at the closet.

Wesley sank down onto the sofa beside her and leaned his head back, his eyes closing. At this angle, Cassie could see his scar quite clearly running from below his left ear and round over his larynx. He didn't look like he had been sleeping and Cassie was tempted to cast a charm to allow him to sleep without dreaming as she suspected he had nightmares of both the knife slicing his throat and of Angel trying to suffocate him. However, she discarded that idea when he opened his eyes and looked at her, his eyes haunted; she suspected he needed to talk to someone who would not make judgements on him.

"Talk to me, Wesley." She invited, an age-old wisdom in her eyes promising understanding and forgiveness, even though he had done nothing to her that required forgiveness. She laid her hand on his cheek and stroked the tears that he was unaware that he was shedding away with her thumb.

Her compassion was the last straw as far as he was concerned and Cassie suddenly found her arms full of an ex-watcher at the end of his tether.

"Oh, God!" Wesley buried his face in the crook of her neck and let all of his grief out, the isolation of the last few weeks finally catching up with him. Cassie held him while he cried and soon he was at peace but still reluctant to let her go.

"Feeling better?" She finally asked and he nodded. "How about I make us some tea so that we can talk." One more nod from him and she carefully extracted herself from his clinging arms.

Two hours later she had the entire story again but from Wesley's perspective. She had pumped him full of tea and while he had a shower and a shave she cooked a light meal for him. While he ate she browsed through a book that was open on his coffee table.

"You know, Lilah Morgan isn't the best person for you to be involved with at the moment." She brought the book back to the table and placed it gently in front of him.

Wesley looked at her, unsmiling, and carefully put his knife and fork back on the plate.

"That's none of your business." He said quietly.

"Yes it is." She laid her hand over his clenched one and eased it open. "I'm a Soulmatcher. I work for the Powers That Be. Everyone has a part to play and yours is an important one. Allying yourself with the other side, even briefly, could tip the balance in the fight. I know you've been hurt by both Angel and the others, but they need your help and expertise, even if they don't know it yet."

"I can't go back, Cassie."

"I'm not asking you to. Buffy and Spike are coming to LA to help find Angel, they'll need to see your houseguest to get a rough idea of where in the ocean he was dumped."

"She hasn't been very co-operative."

"No, I don't suppose she has." Cassie debated with herself for a second then decided he had the right to know something important. "Wesley, you need to finish with Lilah for another reason."

"What's that?"

"You remember I matched Buffy and Spike?"

"Yes, Angel wasn't best pleased, as I recall."

"No." Cassie took a deep un-needed breath. "Wesley, it's your turn to be matched."

Wesley stared at her, a dawning hope in his eyes.

"No, it isn't Fred." Cassie laid her hand on his arm consolingly. "She was never meant for you."

"Oh."

"The Powers decide these things, Wesley, and their decisions are often hard to comprehend. They leave us to stumble around trying to interpret the prophecies, making mistakes and generally trying our best with nary a pat on the head for a job well done. After fifteen hundred years of matching souls Orion and I are coming to the end of our servitude and believe me, it has become a chore rather than the calling it started out as, and we're ready for a change. However, I digress. Your soulmate isn't easily accessible, and there's trouble heading her way. She's going to need all of us to help her."

"Where is she?"

"I can't tell you just yet."

"And you can't just throw these cryptic statements at me without some sort of explanation."

"You'll know who she is when you see her again." She patted his hand.

"I've met her already?"

"Yes, and that's all I'm going to tell you. Now, I'd better get back to the hotel. Will you be alright now?"

"Yes. Thank you, Cassie, for listening."

"Any time, Wesley. I'm a good listener. Now do as I say and get rid of that Lilah, no matter how good in the sack she is."

"Yes, Mother."

"You're a good man, Wesley."

"I haven't felt good these last weeks."

"I know. Now get some sleep, Orion and I will be round to see you tomorrow, we'll bring Buffy and Spike."

"Oh joy." Wesley remembered his dealings with Buffy when he was her Watcher and didn't really want to see her.

Cassie wisely said nothing, just patted his hand again and let herself out of his apartment.

Alone once again, Wesley lay back on the sofa, pondering her words and wondering just who the hell was his soulmate.

TBC

A/N. Next chapter, Buffy and Spike come to LA to help rescue Angel. 


	2. Under New Ownership

Title:The Soulmatchers in LA.

Author:Sunglow999

Pairing:Spike/Buffy

Rating:R (Just to be on the safe side)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy, except Cassie and Orion - they belong to me.

Spoilers:- AtS: The Price and parts of Deep Down.

BtVS: Hells Bells.

Timeline: Two months after the end of The Soulmatchers. Buffy and the gang have neutralised the threat from Warren,

Jonathon and Andrew - in my universe David Nabbitt doesn't exist. 

Chapter 2: Under New Ownership

Connor was nowhere in sight when Cassie got back to the hotel. Fred had shown Orion where he was to sleep but he was waiting for Cassie to return before heading up to his room. Fred and Gunn went up after Cassie had assured them that Wesley would be there to help in the afternoon after Buffy and Spike arrived.

Once alone, Orion sat Cassie down on the sofa and crouched down in front of her.

"How bad is it, Sis?" He asked.

"Bad enough. How on earth do we go about telling them that Angel's at the bottom of the ocean, courtesy of his son Connor and Cordelia has ascended to a higher plane? Wesley's involved with a servant of the devil; although he's going to give her the heave ho."

"Easy; we don't. We help save Angel then go find your Lorne so that at least one of us can be happy."

"I thought you understood Buffy's concerns about you and Dawn."

Orion sighed and ran a hand through his hair leaving parts of it standing up in spikes.

"I do, but if I can't be with Dawn for another two or three years the I need to find something else to do while I'm waiting."

"Let's think about that later, I'm tired."

With arms around each other they made their way up to their rooms and after saying a final goodnight, retired to contemplate their futures.

***

Everyone was woken early the next morning by someone banging on the front doors. Fred and Gunn stumbled downstairs, half asleep and opened the doors to find a large sign attached to one of them.

"Charles, look!" Fred wailed as she read it.

"What is it?" Cassie came up to them and Gunn stood aside to show her the foreclosure notice attached to the door. The mortgage hadn't been paid and the bank was giving them 24 hours to quit the building.

"Check out the banks representatives." Gunn pointed to the smaller printing at the bottom of the notice.

"Wolfram and Hart." Cassie read.

"We never received any letters." Fred was chewing her nails.

"That was probably deliberate." Cassie said. "Although I'm sure they'll be able to produce documents that proved you signed for them."

"What are we going to do?" Fred was starting to panic.

Cassie thought for a few minutes then headed back upstairs to dress.

"Leave it to Orion and me, Fred." She called over her shoulder and disappeared down the corridor to her room.

She came back down twenty minutes later dressed in a designer suit with Orion behind her dressed in Armani and carrying a briefcase.

"Don't worry, Fred, we'll sort it out." Orion patted her arm and followed Cassie out.

***

It didn't take them long to hail a cab and give the driver directions to the bank. It was only a ten-minute drive and soon they were stepping into the air-conditioned foyer of the bank that held the mortgage to the Hyperion. Their looks and attitude soon had them being ushered into the managers office and when he brought up the details of their account on his terminal, his attitude turned from respectful to downright obsequious.

"Mr Saxon, Ms Saxon, what is it that can we do for you?" He asked, almost unable to believe the number of zeros on the balance of their account.

"Your bank holds the mortgage of The Hyperian Hotel. We want it." Cassie said.

"The Hyperian?" He hedged. "It's not a very good investment, Ms Saxon, it needs a lot of work doing to it and it is currently being leased to a detective agency, Angel Investigations."

"We know." Orion smiled, charmingly. "We still want it."

"We have other buildings which may be suitable if you could tell us the purpose to which you will be putting it to?"

"Mr.." Cassie looked at his desk nameplate. "Harper, I don't think it's any of your business what we want the Hyperian Hotel for, it is your business to let us buy the mortgage from your bank. However, if you are not willing to sell us the mortgage then we have no further business with your bank." Cassie stood up. "Please arrange for the withdrawal of all our funds, a bankers draft will do."

Harper went white, even after the penalties they would incur, if he allowed them to withdraw their funds the bank would collapse. He thought his bosses would think more kindly of him if he allowed the couple in front of him to buy the mortgage on a rundown hotel rather than allow them to withdraw all their money at once and put them all out of business.

"Ah, Ms Saxon, Mr Saxon, perhaps I was too hasty in refusing your request. I believe we can do business." He stood up and after a few seconds of making him sweat, Cassie graciously inclined her head and sat back down.

An hour later, Orion was putting the deeds to the hotel in his briefcase and then they were being ushered out into the sunlight.

"What do you think? Give him a week and then move our money?" He asked Cassie as he helped her into the cab.

"No, we can't let Wolfram and Hart get too suspicious and start asking questions. They'll be snooping round soon enough once they find out we've got the hotel."

Orion looked out of the cab window and something caught his attention.

"Pull over." He ordered the cab driver who immediately pulled in.

"Orion, what is it?" Cassie was worried as he jumped out of the cab. "Please wait." She handed the cab driver a hundred dollar bill.

"Lady, for this I'll wait all day." The driver tipped his hat over his eyes and sat back to wait.

"Orion." Cassie hurried to join her brother who was standing outside a car showroom.

"It's Dawns birthday soon, do you think she'd like that?" Orion was pointing to a gleaming red Mercedes SLK 320 convertible.

"Orion, she'd love it, but Buffy won't allow her to have it."

"What if we get Buffy one as well, in a different colour; black maybe?"

"I don't think she'll be open to bribes."

"I don't care, I'm going to buy it for Dawn anyway." Orion strode into the showroom and came out twenty minutes later having bought the red convertible, to be delivered in time for Dawns birthday, and a matching black one for himself having heeded Cassies words about Buffy.

They got back into the waiting cab and headed back to the hotel where they were able to allay Fred's fears that she and Gunn were about to be made homeless.

Connor was sharpening a broadsword and scowled at them as they passed him on their way to their rooms to change.

"That boy needs a good kick up the backside." Orion said as they passed well out of earshot.

"I'm sure Angel will oblige when we find him."

***

Cassie and Orion spent the remainder of the day inspecting their new property and making notes on what needed fixing; it was a very long list. Orion had his head poked through the hole in the floor above the swimming pool when Cassie prodded him with the toe of her boot.

"Buffy and Spike are here." She said.

"Can't wait to meet them formally." Orion grinned, remembering Buffy and the kiss he'd given her.

"Spike is going to kick your arse if he catches you looking at Buffy like that."

"You wouldn't let him near me would you, Sis?" Orion teased.

"No, but I might tell Buffy about that car you just bought for Dawn."

"I'll behave."

They got to the foyer just as Buffy ran in and held the door open for a smoking blanket covered Spike to follow her and they both stomped on the blanket he then threw to the ground.

"Didn't we give you a ring which allowed you to go out in the sunlight?" Cassie asked. "Or have you lost it already?"

"Cassie!" Buffy grinned and came across to hug her. "No, Spike's got it in his pocket, he doesn't wear it in Sunnydale except in extreme emergencies and he didn't want me to stop at the side of the road so that he could get out of the trunk."

"I was dicing with death again by lettin' 'er behind the wheel in the first place, let alone 'er tryin' to cross two lanes of traffic to pull over."

"How is everyone? Dawn? Willow?" Cassie looped her arm through Buffy's and led her over to the sofa.

"Willow's back with Tara. Those meditation exercises you gave her have really helped. Dawns grades are up and Xander and Anya got married last week."

"Bloody brilliant weddin', Cassie, 'ad everythin' an evil vampire like me could wish for; booze, fights, relatives from hell, an' that was only on 'arris's side."

~~~~

One week earlier in Sunnydale

~~~~

"Oi Red, what's up?" Spike was outside the brides quarters waiting to escort Buffy to her place in front of Anya before going to his own seat; he'd seen the way Harris Senior was eyeing her up and he wasn't taking any chances.

"I need Buffy." Willow yanked Buffy, who had just poked her head round the door to check on Anya, back out and pulled her over to where Spike was lounging.

"He's gone. Xander's disappeared."

"What! Xander's gone? What do we do?" Buffy looked around distractedly.

"I'm going to look. I'm going to find him. And you're going to stall." Willow started to turn away when Spike stopped her.

"You stall, Red, I'll go look for the whelp." Thankful to be away from the crowds of demons he wasn't allowed to fight and Harris's he couldn't fight, Spike headed out to where everyone was waiting.

He spotted Dawn talking to a young demon and pulled her away without a word of apology but not without a glare and a flash of fangs to warn the teen off.

Dawn rolled her eyes but went with Spike anyway.

"You seen the whelp?"

"Xander? Not recently, why?"

"'E's done a runner."

"Try that again in American."

It was Spikes turn to roll his eyes.

"'E's missin'."

"Okay, you look in the mens room and I'll check the back room." Dawn turned away determinedly, leaving Spike to admire her assertiveness before realising he'd better go do as she said.

They met up a few minutes later, both having drawn a blank.

"He must be outside. You'd better go look; sniff him out with that superior vamp sense of smell."

"Oy, I'm not a bleedin' dog." Spike grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, you're the Big Bad." She patted his arm then took it and led him to the back door. "Go find."

Muttering about 'bossy chits' Spike nevertheless obeyed and headed out into the rain which had now settled into a steady drizzle.

Ten minutes later he found Xander wandering the streets, hands in pockets, oblivious to his surroundings and to the fact that he was soaking wet.

"'Arris! What the bleedin' 'ell do you think you're doin'? You're supposed to be getting' married." Spike caught hold of his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"Wha'?" Xander looked up, tormented dark eyes meeting annoyed blue ones.

"You, Demon-girl, getting' married?" Spike prompted.

"I kill her, Spike."

"What?"

"In thirty years time, I kill Anya."

"An' who gave you the gift of sight then?"

"I did."

Spike was confused; the whelp wasn't making any sense.

"Come on." He grabbed his arm again and, seeing as how they were near it, dragged him in to Willys Bar.

The place was almost deserted; most of the clientele were at the wedding, except for a few vampires at the bar and in the corner and they soon made a quick exit after receiving one of Spikes glares.

"JD, two glasses, leave the bottle." Spike instructed Willy.

Willy did as he was ordered and then slunk away.

"Right, from the top." Spike poured them a shot each and waited until Xander gulped it down and stopped coughing before downing his own.

"I met me today. Me from thirty years in the future. He showed me what my life is going to be like if I marry Anya today. He showed me it in ten year gaps." He downed the next shot Spike poured with barely a wince. "I can't marry Anya."

"How'd 'e - you - get 'ere?"

"I don't know, magic I think. He gave me this glowy thing and I was there, in the future, me seeing and feeling exactly what happens. We have two children, a boy and a girl only the girl looks a lot like Clem." Xander turned bewildered eyes on Spike. "I think Anya cheated on me."

"The only way that bird would cheat on you is if you couldn't get it up any more."

"I think that's what happens. I nearly get paralysed helping Buffy, and Anya said that me helping didn't help, she's still dead."

Spike slammed his glass down on the bar.

"Not gonna 'appen." He growled, his eyes gold. "Buffy ain't gonna die again."

"It felt so real, Spike. I hated myself, I hated my kids and most of all I hated Anya."

"Can't see you usin' mojo, whelp, that's Red's game."

"I don't want to hurt Anya."

Spike poured another shot into their glasses.

"An' just what do you think you're doin' now? You thinkin' of usin' this as an excuse not to marry Demon girl? Because you're 'avin' second thoughts anyway?"

Xander stared at Spike.

"How..?"

"You lot think I don't notice what's goin' on around me? Think I'm so into Buffy that I don't notice 'er friends? Red 'n Glinda are dancin' round each other, neither one wantin' to make the first move towards reconciliation , your bird is so afraid of dyin' now that she's mortal she's tryin' to cram everythin' into the few years she's got left and that's what's got you runnin' scared." He took another gulp of JD. "You 'aven't lived a thousand years already like she 'as, so as far as you're concerned you've got plenty o' time left; 'nother fifty, sixty years. She's seen 'orrors you can't even imagine – caused a lot of 'em probably – so she's thinkin' if she don't get married an' 'ave kids now she'll die before she can experience it."

"Everything's moving so fast." Xander took just a sip from his glass and grimaced. "Just a few months ago we went up against a god and Anya thought I proposed because we wouldn't come out of it alive in which case I wouldn't have to marry her, but I didn't. I love Anya and I want to marry her, but not just yet." He sighed. "It's snowballed out of all proportion."

"An' you could all die tomorrow." Spike said, knocking back another shot. "I'd give anythin' to be in your shoes."

"You want to marry Anya?"

"Idiot."

"I thought you had an identity now, so you and Buffy could get married one day."

"Married, yeah, but kids? I want a little Buffy to look up at me and call me 'Da'." He glared at Xander. "An' if you tell anyone, especially Buffy, I'll rip your throat out, chip or no chip."

"Have you tried talking to her about it?"

At Spikes look, Xander realised what he had said and groaned.

"You love your bird, right?"

Xander nodded.

"So fuckin' marry 'er. At least this way you won't 'ave to see either sets of in-laws all in one place ever again, 'cause if you cancel now an' rearrange at a later date it'll be last night all over again, an' if I 'ave to 'ear Buffy complain about your father throwin' up in 'er purse one more time.."

Spike poured them both one more drink and they knocked them back together then slammed the glasses back on the bar.

"I hate you, you know that, Spike?"

"I 'ate you too, but we're outnumbered five to two now the Watcher's gone." Spike stood up.

"They're going to kill us, aren't they?" Xander looked down at his drenched tuxedo.

"You, maybe; I've got some insurance." Spike grinned and held up his hand; the one which had the Gem of Amara on it.

"What was it Giles said? We few, we happy few?'"

"We band of buggered." Spike finished. "Think I'd rather face that Glory bint right now though."

They managed to make it back to the lodge with only a few staggers to their steps on the way, only to find the place in an uproar and a hideous demon holding Anya.

Xander rushed towards them, Spike right behind him.

"Anya!"

"Xander!" There was relief in Anya's voice.

"Aaaarrrgh!" The creature doubled over as Buffy used the distraction to her advantage and kicked the creature in the groin and started pummelling it.

Spike and Xander winced in slight sympathy and then Xander reached Anyas side.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm..I'm so glad you're back. It's all lies; what he showed you, it was all made up. He just wanted to break us apart."

"It doesn't matter now."

"We're going to be okay." She said.

Spike watched as Buffy continued to pound on the demon before finally punching it in the guts and then slamming it's head into the ground as it doubled over. She reached up to the bisons head on the wall and pulled the veil, which Willow had draped there earlier on to try to disguise it, off it and used it to strangle the demon. As it gasped for breath, Xander let Anya go and picked up one of the folding chairs and hit the demon with it, snapping its neck. He hit it one more time and dropped the chair.

"It's dead." He said.

"Yep." Buffy let go of the veil.

Xander, Anya, Buffy, Spike and Willow stared as the rest of the wedding party cheered.

"Anyone else waiting for it to go 'poof'?" Willow asked. There was a pause before she continued. "Maybe we can cover it with flowers."

There was an ill-timed comment from Xanders father and all of a sudden the fighting broke out again. Willow saw Tara caught up in the middle of it all and rushed to pull her to the side of the room where it was safer.

"STOP IT! EVERYONE SIT DOWN!" The fighting paused, allowing Anya to continue. "The wedding will go on. Now, get in your seats." Everyone obeyed and the bridesmaids, plus Spike Anya and Xander moved to the foyer of the lodge, closing the door to the main room behind them.

"Why are Spike and Xander wet?" Dawn whispered to Willow.

"I don't know, Dawnie, but I think we're about to find out."

"Don't think just because you saved my life that you're going to get away with not explaining why you're both drunk and soaked, Alexander Harris!" Anya went straight for the jugular.

"An, can we talk about this later? People are waiting." Xander shuffled his feet and looked pleadingly at her.

"Nice move, he's gone for the puppy dog eyes." Dawn commented in an aside to Willow.

"Think it'll work?"

"And don't think I don't know that this is all your doing, Spike." Anya rounded on Spike who suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights, not sure whether to stay or run. The option to run was taken away by Buffy grabbing a handful of his duster at the back of his waist. "How could you kidnap Xander and get him drunk on his wedding day?"

"An." Xander couldn't let Spike take all the blame and was about to confess when a look from Spike stopped him.

"Look, 'ow many times do I 'ave to tell you lot that 'm evil. Whelp didn't 'ave a proper stag night."

"So you thought you'd throw one half an hour before the wedding?" Anya lunged towards Spike but was stopped by Willow and Tara stepping in front of him.

"You'll get your dress wet, Anya. Willow and I will take Xander and get him sober and dry. Buffy can take care of Spike."

It wasn't often that Tara overcame her shyness to speak up and everyone moved to obey. Dawn took Anya back into the brides room to tidy her makeup and hair and to arrange her veil while the others took Xander and Spike into the kitchen area.

"Willow, d.do you th.think you can manage a d.drying spell with m.me?" Tara asked.

"I think so. It will be quicker than trying to find another tuxedo."

Mentally thanking Cassie for the meditation exercises she had taught her, Willow joined hands with Tara and they cast a drying spell on Xander. In seconds his tuxedo and hair were dry and Willow was tying his bow-tie again. Buffy had dragged Spike over to the other side of the room where she was towelling his hair dry.

"Thanks, by the way." She murmured.

"Wha' for?" Spikes voice was muffled by the towel.

"For taking the blame for Xander and not letting on that he'd got cold feet, that was a good thing to do."

"Couldn't upset the bride; spoil 'er big day." He mumbled.

"So you'll wear the tuxedo I picked out?"

"'m not wearin' that monkey suit." 

"I'm not dancing with you dripping all over the place." Buffy had tried for weeks without success to get Spike to wear a tuxedo and she had brought it along anyway, still trying at the last minute to get him to wear it.

"No." Spike was scowling and trying to look tough, but it was difficult when his hair was in poodle curls.

"Look, you don't have to wear a tie, the shirt that comes with it is collarless." She wheedled.

"No, and that's final."

"Dammit Spike, if we have to wear radioactive dresses then you can damn well wear a tuxedo." Buffy stamped her foot and threw the towel at him.

When Spike heard that tone in Buffy's voice he knew she wasn't far from punching him in the nose, so he backed down but not without a few grumbles. He started to strip off; he had no inhibitions, and it was only when both Tara and Willow squeaked as he started to unzip his jeans that he stopped. Buffy hustled them out of the room and frowned at Spike.

"Five minutes." She warned. "Then I'll be back in and you'd better be ready." She closed the door behind her, leaving Spike alone with Xander.

"Spike, you didn't have to take the blame." Xander said, unable to let it go. 

"Yeah, I did, but if I was you you'll tell your bird the truth, preferably when she's nowhere near any sharp objects." Spike grinned. "'Ere, put this in your pocket, gonna get wet when I change." He took a white slightly padded envelope from his duster and handed it to Xander who put it in the inside pocket of his jacket.

It took Spike less than three minutes to change into the tuxedo and black collarless shirt Buffy had left behind and he was just tucking in the shirt tails when she returned exactly five minutes after she said she would. 

"Now go take your places." She instructed them. 

Xander made his way to the front of the room where the minister was waiting and Spike took up his position behind him and to the right so that he could foil any more escape attempts.

The music started and everyone turned to see Buffy and Willow leading with Anya behind them and Tara and Dawn bringing up the rear.

The wedding went off finally without a hitch and once the bar opened both sides concentrated on getting as drunk as possible. Luckily there were no further outbreaks of violence and it was only as Xander and Anya were leaving that Xander remembered the envelope Spike had given him to look after and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Here, Spike." He held it out to Spike.

Spike looked up from where he was nuzzling Buffy's neck.

"What do I want that for?"

"It's yours."

"Not mine, mate."

"Look inside." Buffy was grinning.

"Oh man." Xander pulled out two flight tickets and a wad of money together with what looked like a hotel reservation.

~~~~

Present Day

~~~~

"So anyway, they're honeymooning in Las Vegas, courtesy of me, Dawn and Spike." Buffy giggled. "You should have heard the way Anya lectured us on giving away a thousand dollars for gambling purposes."

"Couldn't prise it out of 'er 'and though when I asked for it back." Spike grinned. "Anyway, what's all this about Peaches goin' missin' then?"

Fred and Gunn updated Buffy and Spike with what had been happening .

"And I thought our lives were strange." Buffy said when they were finished.

"So where is Uncle Connor then?" Spike asked, bouncing up and down on his toes. He wasn't used to staying still this long and the trip in the back of his DeSoto had been uncomfortably warm and cramped.

"Uncle Connor?" Gunn asked.

"Yeah. I thought about it see? Dru's my sire, Peaches is her sire. Peaches is Connors Da, therefore Dru's brother, therefore my Uncle." Spike grinned.

"Dawn has started a family tree as a school project and thought it would be fun to do one for Spike as well." Buffy explained. "Where's the training room around here? Spike needs to let off some steam." Buffy could see the signs a mile off.

"Downstairs in the basement." Gunn said.

"Come on, Spike." As Buffy turned to head down there she spotted Connor on the stairs, scowling at them.

"Hi, I'm Buffy." She went across to him.

"The Slayer."

"One of them, anyway." She stopped as she felt the hostile vibes coming off him.

"Why are you with a vampire?" He demanded, glaring at Spike.

"Oy, watch it, mate." Spike came up behind Buffy.

"He's my mate."

"You should be slaying vampires."

Buffy grinned. "Spike's an exception to the rule."

"There are no exceptions." Connor pulled a stake out of his back pocket and both Buffy and Spike went on the defensive.

It was Orion who decided it was time to intervene. He held out his hand and concentrated. In an instant, the stake had been pulled out of Connors hand and had flown across the room to land in Orion's outstretched palm.

"Enough, Connor! If you can't be civil then I suggest you go back to your room until you can be." He ordered.

"Who are you to order me?" Connor sneered and once again Orion was tempted to give him a kick up the backside.

"Your new landlord, so unless you want to be homeless I suggest you try to get along with our guests. Buffy and Spike are here to help find your father so stop being such a little shit and let them get on with their task."

'Finally.' Gunn thought. 'Someone else who thinks the kid is getting too big for his britches.' He had been reluctant to say anything for fear of upsetting Fred, who thought Connor had suffered a rough enough deal so far in his young life.

Connor subsided but sulked for the rest of the day. Spike and Buffy worked out while Gunn sharpened and cleaned Angel's weapons and Orion and Cassie drew up plans for the changes they wanted to make to the hotel.

~~~~

When night fell that evening Connor was nowhere to be found so Fred and Gunn volunteered to go look for him whilst Buffy and Spike headed out to meet up with Wesley.

"So, where are we starting to look?" Buffy asked Wesley as they got in his four wheel drive.

"The harbour."

Buffy and Spike exchanged looks at his taciturn manner; this was a big change from the last time they'd seen him two months ago. 

The trip was made in silence and continued in silence until they boarded the boat Wesley had hired. He waited until they were half an hour out to sea before bringing the bound and gagged Justine up from below decks.

"You didn't say this was going to be a burial at sea." Spike leaned his face in close to Justine's and smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile.

"Justine can get us to the right area, then it's up to you to find Angel." Wesley said.

"Wait a minute, you mean Angel's at the bottom of the sea?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, Luv, that's why we're on a boat." Spike said.

"I thought he was somewhere only accessible by sea, like an island."

"Justine has confessed that she and Connor locked Angel in an airtight box and dropped him to the bottom somewhere in this area." Wesley pointed to a marine chart laid out on a table. "Hopefully, Spike, you will be able to sense him through your Sire/Childe bond."

"Should be able to, yeah." Spike lit a cigarette. 

"Good. We should be in the right area in about ten minutes."

Spike concentrated on smoking his cigarette while Buffy paced and the ten minutes passed in silence. Finally, Wesley slowed the boat and let it idle in the water.

"Well, Spike, we're here. Can you sense anything?"

Spike closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Just a faint echo. Try that way." Spike pointed to the south and Wesley set the boat in motion again.

They spent the next half hour with Spike fine tuning his senses until he finally called a halt.

"'Ere." He said, looking over the side as if trying to see through the midnight depths.

"You're sure?" Wesley asked.

"'E's down there alright." Spike took off his leather duster and handed it to Buffy.

"Do you want the wetsuit?" Wesley asked.

"Yes, he does." Buffy said when she saw that Spike was going to refuse.

"Luv." Spike protested.

"I am not traveling back to the hotel with you complaining that your wet clothes are chafing."

"Who said I was goin' to dive in clothes?" He leered, his hands going to his jean buttons.

"Put it on." She slapped the wetsuit against his chest and pushed him below.

When Wesley offered Spike the tanks he looked at them and then at Wesley, rolled his eyes and pushed past him.

"Oh." Wesley suddenly remembered that Spike didn't need to breathe.

"Here." Buffy handed Spike the hook with a chain attached and kissed him. "Be careful down there, don't let the sharks bite."

Spike flashed her his game face.

"Got bigger teeth than them, Luv."

"Don't care." Buffy pouted. "I'm the only one allowed to bite you."

"Don't worry, Luv." Spike kissed the pout and she smiled, reassured.

Spike went overboard and the chain unraveled the deeper he went. Eventually, though he reached bottom before they ran out of chain and they spent an agonising fifteen minutes waiting for any sign from him. He took them all by surprise, though, when he burst up to the surface and grabbed hold of the chain.

"Spike, did you find him?" Buffy leaned precariously over the side.

"Yeah, he don't look too good, though." Spike hauled his way up the chain and swung himself over the side.

"He's been two months without blood." Wesley started the winch. "There's blood in the cooler."

It didn't take long for Angel to be winched aboard and then they faced the task of cutting the casket open. Wesley had come prepared though and soon Buffy and Spike were heaving the lid off while Wesley prepared the blood he had in the cooler.

Angel didn't respond to the blood, though, he was too far gone.

"He needs fresh." Wesley said, drawing a knife from his belt.

"Give me the knife." Buffy held out her hand. "Slayer's blood should help him quicker than yours."

Wesley handed her the knife without comment and she immediately sliced into her arm. Slayer healing kicked in after about a pint and while she and Wesley were feeding her blood to Angel, Spike took the knife and followed her example, slicing into his own arm.

The combination of slayer and childe blood helped bring Angel into semi-consciousness and Wesley decided to head back to shore knowing that his former boss was in good hands.

Back on shore Wes and Buffy helped Angel into the back of the car while Spike sat in the drivers seat. Buffy then went round to the other side and got in the back, leaving Wes to get in the front beside Spike. They didn't think it was a good idea that Wes travel in the back with Angel, no matter how weak he seemed. As Buffy closed her door. Angel opened his eyes and looked at Wes.

"He'll turn on you!" Justine called out from where she was handcuffed to the railing on the boat. "He won't be able to help it. That's what he is. Sooner or later he will turn on you - and all your friends!"

Spike started the car as Wes got in.

"You're just gonna leave me here?"

Wes held up the keys to the cuffs and tossed them at her feet.

"You can continue to be a slave, Justine - or you can live your life. Your choice." Wes nodded to Spike who put the car in gear and drove off, leaving Justine scrabbling for the keys.

Back at the Hyperian Connor had come back on his own and had hidden himself in his room. Fred and Gunn had returned an hour afterwards and were talking in the office with Orion and Cassie when the phone rang. Orion looked at Cassie and as one, got up and disappeared into one of the many bedrooms, leaving Gunn and Fred alone.

"The shit is really going to hit the fan now, isn't it, Cass?" Orion leaned against the wall and slid down it until he was seated on the dusty floot.

"Yes. It's best we stay out of the way for a while. Angel isn't going to like finding out where Cordelia is."

"He's going to be a bit pissed off with Connor as well."

"Connor is going to need all the friends he can get soon. I think you and Spike may have to get involved."

"Spike's going to love going up against Angel." Orion grinned.

"Try not to get caught in the crossfire."

Half an hour later they heard the lobby doors open and the sound of Fred and Gunn running to meet the returning Buffy, Spike, Wes and Angel.

"Should we go down as well?" Orion asked.

"Just to the top of the stairs."

They arrived in time to see Angel being lowered to the settee in the foyer.

"Is he gonna be all right?" Gunn asked.

"In time - maybe." Wes replied.

Angel groaned, his head rolling to the side against the headrest.

Spike looked up to where Cassie and Orion were standing and touched Buffy's hand to get her attention. She looked up as well and nodded slightly. She and Spike made their way quietly up the stairs and joined the twins, watching the drama unfold down below. They watched Wes leave and Gunn and Fred rush to the office when they heard a chair topple over. Angel managed to make his way over to the office and only Buffy was unable to hear what was going on.

~~~~

In the office

~~~~

"Sit - down."

Without taking his eye off Angel, Connor backed up a short distance.

"You're too weak to take me."

"You really think that?"

Connor looked at Angel for a moment then tuned and picked up the chair, slamming it down on the floor. He sat in it, facing Angel. Angel lowered himself into the chair across from Connor with a slight sigh.

"So - how was your summer? Mine was fun. Saw some fish. Went mad with hunger. Hallucinated a whole bunch."

While Gunn quietly helped Fred back to her feet, Connor's eyes never left Angel.

"You deserved worse."

"Because I killed Holtz - except I didn't. I tried telling you that while you were busy offshore dumping me, but I didn't know the whole score. Holtz killed himself. Actually, he had your buddy Justine do it with an ice pick. Just to make you hate me."

"Even if.." Connor paused. "You still deserved it."

"What I deserve is open to debate. But understand there is a difference between wishing vengeance on someone - and taking it. So now, the question becomes, what do you deserve?"

Connor jumped up from the chair suddenly and made a break for the door, but Angel intercepted him, tossing him against the wall.

"Daddy's not finished talking." Angels voice was calm.

Angel crouched down next to where Connor sat scrunched up against the wall.

"Wesley told me everything that's been going on. So, as far as I'm concerned what you '_deserve' _ rests on one answer." Angel leaned in. "Did you do something to Cordelia?"

"No."

"He's lying." Fred argued.

"No, I'm not."

"No way she just '_happened_' to disappear the same night." Gunn put in.

"I'm telling the truth, okay?" Connor, never taking his eyes off Angel, said.

"I know. I can tell." Angel said quietly, backing away slightly "You've done enough lying for me to know the difference. The truth has a better sound to it, less nasal, you know? Get up."

Connor stood up.

"What you did to me - was unbelievable, Connor. But then I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years, so three months under the ocean actually gave me perspective. Kind of a M.C. Esher perspective - but I did get time to think. About us, about the world. Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and cruel. But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be. - You're not a part of that yet. - I hope you will be." Angel moved to stand in front of Connor "I love you, Connor." He paused. "Now get out of my house."

After a beat Connor left and Angel let out a slight sigh. They heard the lobby door close and Angel swayed on his feet. As he leant against the wall Fred and Gunn ran over to him.

"Angel!" Fred hovered over him, not sure what to do.

"All that talking really takes it out of you."

"You need rest."

"I need Cordy - now. Wherever she is, whatever she's going through, we have to find her."

Up on the stairs, Cassie finished telling Buffy what they had overheard.

"Poor Connor." Buffy could understand how he felt. For so long she had believed the lies the Council had told her, only to find her world and her beliefs turned upside down when confronted with the truth by Cassie. Added to the fact that Connor had grown up in a hell dimension, was it any wonder he was a little off the rails at Angel.

"Spike, Orion, go after him. Bring him back here to the South wing. Buffy, can you make up a bed for him? I need to talk to Angel, Gunn and Fred."

"You know what's happened to Cordelia, don't you?" Buffy said after the two vampires had gone.

"Yes, and they're going to find it hard to accept"

"I'm sorry Spike and I won't be able to be much help, we have to get back to Sunnydale."

"You've both been a great help. I know it wasn't easy for Spike to come here, he still has issues about Angel, doesn't he?"

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Spike has issues about any man I talk to, but as long as I show him he's the only man I want he usually calms down." She smiled. "I know it's politically incorrect these days, but I kind of like him being possessive."

"Very un-PC." Cassie laughed.

Buffy turned and headed off to sort out a room for Connor while Cassie started down the stairs. She stopped outside the office and took a deep, unneeded breath. This wasn't going to be pretty.

TBC

A/N: Grovels apologetically for the huge gap between this and the last chapter. Thanks to all those who have been waiting patiently and to Moonglow11066 who has nagged me periodically and kept me entertained with her Harry Potter fics. I now have a livejournal - see my profile - so may be posting snippets there but I can't guarantee that.


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